Please answer - ALL OS Versions

Hi Mac users - I am actually conducting a quick survey of how many users have had their security compromised using the Mac OS vs Windows. I have my own feelings on this but need to hear from all of you. Thanks in advance.

Please...if you can note your OS version and simple description of what happened. Thanks again.

I have had my MBP for almost 5 wks now and nothing has been compromised. OS X 10.4.9.

I've had Macs for 16 years, and started on the net with BBSs, using my first Mac, an LC, running System 7.x. Neither it nor any of the other machines — more specifically, their Mac systems (I ran Windows under Virtual PC), I've had since have been compromised.

I used a Mac anti-virus program running in the background (pre OS X) for a couple of months in '94 or '95, then trashed it. But using free AV apps, I occasionally would check for viruses but never found one.

Now with OS X (at the moment, 10.4.9) on a dual 1-GHz G4, I use the firewall along with its two "advanced" settings, but I hardly ever check for Windows viruses in emails on the premise that Windows users can dig and flood their own moats.

Five or six years ago, running System 9.2 on the Mac side of a G3, I ran Windows '95 under Virtual PC for a while because I had to learn more about Windows than simply running it, and almost immediately experienced the joy of entertaining uninvited guests. After a few months I killed Windows permanently.

In 16 years, only Windows viruses have tried to take up residence, and none of them, of course, could do anything to the Mac OS.

2 years on a mac now.. operating systems 10.3. - 10.4. Powerbooks, Macbook Pros, and Quad G5's. All systems never had a problem with security or any thing else for that matter.

I've had no security issues on my Mac under OS X as far as I know. The only issue was a trojan under XP/Parallels a few weeks ago.

My father is a retired school teacher and has used Apple computers from day one. I have used them for 15+ years. Both of us have NEVER had our security compromised with any Apple computer.

I've used the Mac OS ever since 1996 and never got any malware of any kind.

MS from DOS 6.0, Win 3.1, 95, 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP Pro - have never had a virus on any of my personal machines. Did have one phone home piece of Spyware that infected one of my XP boxes about 3 years ago now, though it was never able to call home.

My wife's machines are another story. I take the time to set her up with the same security stuff as mine. Don't know what she does, but she can't keep her home machine running smoothly for longer than about 3 months at a time. The worst I've found on one of her machines at one time was 43 viruses and 128 pieces of Adware/Spyware. Had a couple I just couldn't get rid of, so format and start over time it was. (edit: not exaggerating here either, and have another friend that can put my wife to shame by the time he brings me his box once every 6 months)

OS X - too early to tell, but I have no protection running on my MBP except the hardware firewall and the internal firewall. Wouldn't dream of doing this with my XP machine.

Not a problem here. Been running Macs since OS 6.0.1, 7, 8, 9. Never had a problem with any of them in any way. Ran 10.1 for a while, 10.2 for 2 years, 10.3 for years and 10.4 since it came out and never had any security issues. Not one and I am a power user and always on the net. All my systems are networked with many PC's on the network also.

Truthfully I don't have many security issues with XP or 2k either, but I am very careful and knowledgeable about security.

brownhead said:

Hi Mac users - I am actually conducting a quick survey of how many users have had their security compromised using the Mac OS vs Windows. I have my own feelings on this but need to hear from all of you. Thanks in advance.

Please...if you can note your OS version and simple description of what happened. Thanks again.

Click to expand...

You know, I have a real problem with new members who, on their first post, are just gathering information - especially security information - without providing any of their own. Who are you? This is your first post. You have nothing in your profile. Why don't you tell us about yourself and why you want the information?

A new member trying to weigh the benefits of Mac versus Windows is certainly welcome! Someone joining and just asking for potentially sensitive information without giving anything in return gets my attention. Looks more like a social engineer than a member to me.

I've used practically every version of the Classic Mac OS from System 7, and every version of OS X since 10.0.3. No compromises.

I did get worried for a while around 1998 when the Hong Kong/Autostart worm was going around, but I took preventative action and was never affected.

To date, I've had no reason for concern with my Mac. I have a NAT firewall provided by my Linksys WRT54G and the standard OS X firewall, operating in "stealth" mode.

And to be truthful, I've never had a serious issue with any of my (personal) Windows machines, aside from the occasional adware/spyware (nothing ever serious).

As a network admin for a large business running mostly Microsoft products, I have seen a handful of compromises in my time (8 years) there. The MS Blaster worm was probably the worst - it infiltrated our network fairly quickly, but fortunately McAfee VirusScan Enterprise saved our bacon. Although the same machines would get reinfected because they hadn't been patched, McAfee would dutifully remove the infection each time (fortunately we had the foresight to continuously update our DATs on a daily basis). Aside from that, our shop has remained fairly clean, as we learned our lesson and became more diligent about patch management.

on mac OS X for the last 6-7 months, nothing.

on windows 98, a couple virii and trojans. also my wife had an autodialer trojan (if it's even a trojan) disable our ethernet and try to dial out on a modem on a desktop we had (which was luckily not plugged into anything).

nothing on XP for a few years.

Always used Macs, over 17 years or so, never have been compromised in anyway. Used one PC with Win98 when I was in college, and sharing files with classmates, I had a virus problem once that made my computer slow down to crawl. For the life of me could not figure out why, since I was a Mac user, it made no sense to me. My cousin finally told me I must have gotten a virus and had to reinstall the OS. To me, I only once or twice reinstalled any Mac OS, and that was mostly because of a personal choice to do so, not because of instability problems. Spent the better part of a Saturday reinstalling Win98, and other programs I needed, including Office. My cousin gave me a copy of a Anti-virus program to install as well. Not even a month went by and I was back in the same situation. I went out and got myself Word for the Mac.
I installed Linux on the PC and played with that for while, eventually sold the PC, and have never purchased another one.

I got caught with the sasser virus on my old Windows 98 SE box, never had an issue on any of my Macs...